[Pcraces] Meeting Summary

[Brandon Grindle]

Hello all!

	Last night the monthly meeting of the PCRACES was held at Uptown
Pizza on the north side of the Rockville square. This may be the last
Uptown Pizza meeting we have until we find out if the new location on
Bridgeton Road will have enough spots to seat all of us including
families.  The furnace was out last night and made for a chilly meeting.
Those attending included Marty Brown, N9TZM, Mark Brown, N9POA, Brandon
Grindle, KC9CCG, and families.  Supper was fairly decent and would be
worth having again if there is seating enough for us at the new
building.  
	We discussed several topics and passed some good ideas along
which will be included following in list form.
	1.  Finishing our operation plan including frequencies to use
for shelters, nets, etc. 
	2.  Talking with Darla about the purchasing of the following
list
		A. 70' Cat5 cable (50' for the weather station 20' to
connect to the LAN)
		B. 2 USB-Serial Port connectors to hook the laptop to
the radios.
		C. 3 9 pin Serial Cables to interface to the USB-Serial
and radios.
	   Cost should be around $100.00.  Phyllis at the EOC had
indicated possibly radio maintenance money could be used since there
isn't a budget slot for us.   Also maybe we could talk to Darla about
getting us in the budget for next year so we can improve and maintain
our equipment?
	3.  We need to finish up the Weather Station and get all the
equipment mounted and the HF antenna guyed before spring storms hit and
take it down.  Bob from RayComm had suggested that we use monofilament
fishing line so it wouldn't carry RF and mess the tuning of the antenna
up during rain.  Cost .. out of pocket cause I have use for this in the
summer anyway :) 
	4.  The recruitment of new Ham operators in the county.  Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts, local firefighters?  We could offer a Tech class if
there is enough interest in the area.  See 5.
	5.  Setting up at the Fair under the EOC tent if Darla has table
room for us to put up a table.  We could take a radio or 2 and set up a
GOTA station(Get on the Air) and let ppl actually get hands on talking
to another station or country.  Nice PR blitz for #4 above.
	6.  Field Day is on June 25/26 2005.  Maybe we could put our
emergency radios at the EOC to the test and see how we do?  Then maybe
next year do something very public out doors, the park in Rockville, and
get more ppl interested in Radio. 
	7.  http://www.fema.gov/library/civilpg.shtm  Here is where the
rules and in the appendix is the Plan we need to modify.  The biggest
thing we will have to do is listed at 7. Annexes.  This is where we
really have to get things finished up to turn into Darla by the first
week of March or so.

	8.  We need a plan of action for June 8th 2005 for the full
scale exercise and will work on that at each meeting until May.
	9.  Also need to ask Darla if she can talk with Terry Hensley at
the ambulance service.  He is getting the generator from the EOC to
power the ambulance service.  He has a small generator over at the
ambulance service that isn't being used.  Maybe Darla could have him
swap her and let us have use of the little generator.  It could be made
into a trailer unit for portable emergency power.

Ok I think that about sums it up. If Mark or Marty remember something I
forgot please follow up.  Also please follow up with any comments,
questions or suggestions.  


73
Brandon